Look Who's Calling The Kettle Vicious

As of late, Microsoft has been running "Laptop Hunter" ads in which they give a family has $1,000 to find their ideal laptop. Inevitably, their choice always ends up being a PC of some sort, because they can get all the programs etc they need, for less. "Apple" or "Mac" generally isn't mentioned in these ads - just the glory that is cheap PC-dom.

Apparently, this ad campaign really worked. Earlier last week, Apple angrily asked Microsoft to stop running the ads, as they dropped their prices (by about $100 or so). Keep in mind that there has been little to no word from Microsoft's end asking Macs to stop running their "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" attack ads.

I see this move as a huge indicator of the stereotyped personalities of Macs vs PCs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Macs" tend to be younger, hipper, more carefree, less corporate, and more fun. Basically, that guy you had a crush on freshman year of college. On the other hand, "PCs" tend to be older, more corporate, more business-minded, colder, dorkier... basically, your parents after they've given you a curfew.

How fitting that when the Macs directly attack the PCs, they take it like grown men. However, when PCs allude to the fact that Macs are legitimately overpriced, Mac whines to get its way.

Grow up, Steve, and learn how to swallow your own medicine:

Job Postings

It has recently come to my attention that there are several fabulous jobs open in New York / Austin. I will be sending most of these out in the TAG Email within the coming weeks. However, because I know the majority of those who read my blog are starving students, I want to give you a sneak peak. Good Luck!

Texas:
EnviroMedia Social Marketing, Fall Internships
The Davis Group, Fall Internships
Communication Career Services, Internship
Apogee Search, Digital Marketing Internship
Texas Department of Agriculture, Marketing Internship
Q1 Media, Interactive Internship
Lee Tilford, Copywriter

New York:
The Longitude, Web Development & Strategy Interns
CollegeHumor, Programmer
CollegeHumor, Illustrator
OMD New York, Assistant Media Planner

Here is another great source to help you out.



Edit: Already interning? Get yourself some free muffins

This Has Been a Public Service Announcement

Public Service Announcements are notorious for being one of two extremes: A) Mind-numbingly boring, or B) Shockingly gruesome.

I find it interesting that this is almost expected of PSA's. Either the nonprofit is dealing with a sensitive subject, and wants to be considerate and careful, or they want to create as much buzz as possible by through shockvertising.

Funny... when big business tries to harness shock value to generate buzz, they usually get negative press (cue Burger King, United Colors of Bennetton, etc). It's the nonprofits that get all sorts of positive buzz whenever that let them get away with this sort of thing. Truth is, all advertisers want to shock you - it gets you talking about their brand. It just seems that only when it's for a good cause do people refrain from playing the "offended" card... take, for example, this anti-smoking ad:


More: Bloody Billboard, PETA (of course), Kid Eating Poop, etc.

What's more, a lot of PSA's are placed in media for free. They get great, eye-catching work, dirt cheap media, and a lot of (semi-) positive buzz.

Maybe this industry isn't as hopeless as I thought? (Check one for big morals vs big business.)

What if it all came true?

As one unfortunate employee found out after updating her Facebook with a negative job-related comment, what happens in the social media realm affects us in real life.

This is a funny scenario of social media effecting our lives to the extreme:

It's happened to all of us.

Recession Jokes

Last night, Taco Bell aired a new ad, a rap video called "It's All About the Roosevelts" during the All Star game. In short, it's a price-point rap parody:



Slightly reminiscent of:

1) SNL's "Lazy Sunday"
"You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we're dropping Hamiltons."

2) JWT's Green Tea Partay for Smirnoff
"Here's to homies on lock for insider trading."

Since He Has 150 Years to Kill...

Want to send hate letters to Bernie Madoff? Send your angry letters/poems/drawings/etc to madoffmail@gmail.com or visit MadoffMail.com.

The site's managers will be collecting and shipping off the messages every 6 months to Madoff's cell at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.

Some examples include:





This campaign is taking a cue from the recent trend to turn user generated content into traditional media (see Urban Dictionary, Twitter Wit, and FAIL Nation. It'd be interesting to see them publish these.

Yalla Chevreh, Ballagan!

Jewlicious:
"Produced by McCann Erickson, it has divided the nation as some are horrified by the use of the Separation Barrier as a prop in a light-hearted cell phone company commercial, while others see it as a harmless and humorous riff on an otherwise difficult issue – something Israelis are particularly well known for. Me? I think it’s cute but I am sure someone is going to jump down my throat and call me heartless. Or something."

The ad ends with, "What do we all want in the end? To have a little bit of fun..."

It's very telling of the Israeli / Sabra condition. Even though uncertainty and danger hail from all directions, suck it up, and make the best of it.